Dropping In, Stumbling Out
by Witchblade Hell
Summary: Harry and Snape get stuck together in the wilderness, far away from the school, and they obviously need to find their way back to it. It's pretty general, PG rating for slight violence. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, so be gentle.
1. Dropping In

Harry Potter fanfic: Dropping in  
  
Plot: This is no slash, so please don't read this expecting any. Anyway, Harry and Snape  
get stranded together far away from Hogwarts school, in the wilderness, and basically  
have to find their way back. Oh, and just for fun, they have to deal with a monster that's  
been stranded with them and is hunting them down.  
  
Rating: I rate this PG for a bit of violence, but that's about it. You can expect some  
hurting to go on! Mostly physically.  
  
*****THIS IS MY FIRST HARRY POTTER FANFIC: So I don't wanna see any flame  
or anything, go easy, but please review so that I don't get discouraged and delete this  
whole story [ it's happened before!]******  
  
Oh yeah, I forgot the disclaimer...(sigh)  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything that ever has or ever will have to do with Harry  
Potter, right down to his hair, robes, owl, glasses, cars, uncle and aunt, cousin, teachers,  
friends, Hagrid, Fang, Sirius, the school, the school grounds, the Forbidden Forest, the  
lake, the Giant Squid, the merepeople, all the nasty bad guys, and all the crazy weather  
that goes around!!!! Nope, none of it's mine, but I really wish it was!!! ;0)  
  
[AHEM]  
PS: this story is based on one I really like called 'Falling Skies' by Aldaj [ it's for a show  
called Seven Days] So if anyone who's read that one sees similarities, that's why. There  
will probably be a lot of similarities, but I'm sure Aldaj wouldn't mind.  
  
Anyway, I hope you have a good time reading this fic!!!!  
  
  
************************************************************************  
Dropping In  
  
  
It was a late fall day, a nice, quiet day. The colored leaves rippled easily in the cool wind  
and the only real sounds to be heard were that of small woodland creatures. This was the  
day that something weird happened in the forest.  
  
Above the trees, where the white-clouded sky was easily visible, a bright blue light  
flashed suddenly, sending all the little animals scattering to their homes. As the blue  
colored light disappeared two figures fell, yelling, to the ground, followed by two loud  
thumps.  
  
  
All the darkness was nice and peaceful. It was engulfing and gave the feeling of space.  
Harry was enjoying his restful, dreamless sleep. He'd have been happy to remain that way  
for a little longer, but the consciousness began to come back to him.  
"..Ugh..", he woke slowly, memories flooding back to him. His head hurt somewhere.   
  
Then the sudden memory of what had happened before he blacked out came rushing back  
to him. He sat up, going over the whole thing: being at the school, then a big blue light,  
the feeling of flying without his broom, Professor Snape-  
  
Where was Professor Snape?  
  
Putting his glasses on, Harry sat up and looked around, the motion caused his head to  
hurt. He put a hand to his temple and felt warm blood on his fingers. He stood up slowly  
and looked around again.  
  
Wherever he was, he was in a forest. The trees were thick and dense. He looked to where  
he'd been laying and saw a mess of freshly broken branches littered the gound. Looking  
up he figured he could've gotten stuck in a tree, if he hadn't have landed on a bunch of  
thin branches and fallen to the ground.  
  
It was probably the reason his head was cut.  
  
"Professor?" He said out loud. He waited and listened, "Professor Snape?"  
  
He couldn't see him anywhere on the ground. Then a small stick flew passed his face and  
to the ground. He looked up and found Professor Snape and then did his best not to laugh.  
  
"If you don't mind, Potter," Snape said, slightly annoyed, "I would very much like to get  
down." Harry's Potions Master was stuck in a tree, his black robes hanging and torn all  
around him.  
  
"Yes sir," Harry said. He'd be able to get him down with the levitation spell. He searched  
his robes for his wand... and he couldn't find it! He began frantically looking for it,  
swishing his robes, even taking them off and shaking them, then check his jeans pockets,  
down his shirt.. it was nowhere on him.  
  
"Sometime today, Potter!" Snape snapped just as Harry searched the ground.  
  
"M-..my wand, I can't find it!" Harry said, then he remembered; he'd left it in Gryffindor  
house during lunch.  
  
He ran a hand through his hair as Snape said, " Surely, Potter, even you know how to  
climb a tree."  
  
Harry decided to ignore that and looked up at the older man in the tree, "Well, can't you?  
And what's stopping you from using your wand?"  
  
Snape removed a flap of his robes to reveal his right arm, his spell-casting arm, which was  
dangling freely, fully dislocated from it's socket.  
  
Harry winced at the sight and just before Snape opened his mouth again he said, " Okay!  
Never mind, I'm coming!"  
  
Almost fifteen minutes had passed before they were back on the ground. Snape had yelled  
and complained each time his limp arm touched or hit something, saying it was Harry's  
fault.   
  
When they reached the ground, Harry inspected his Professor's arm. It seemed pretty  
simple, but when Harry reached for it, the older man backed away.  
  
"Do you know what you're doing, Potter?" He asked cautiously.  
  
Harry smiled slightly and placed his hands on Snape's arms, "Nope." And with a single  
movement, shoved the arm back into place. Snape made a small yell, but that was it.  
  
Before Snape could protest, Harry began tearing at his own robes and made a basic sling  
for his arm.  
  
His arm still hurt, but it felt much better in the sling instead of freely hanging, "Thank  
you...Potter."  
  
Harry looked up at him, he hadn't been expecting a thank you, "Uh.. no problem," he said  
uncomfortably. Then he noticed that Snape was staring at Harry's face, and he  
remembered the cut.  
  
"It appears you have another scar, Potter," Snape said, not unkindly.  
  
Harry put a hand to his face again and said "It's just a scratch, it's nothing." then he  
looked about the trees around them, "but we should find a way out of here. Wherever we  
are, we're nowhere near the school, that's for sure."  
  
"Yes, this is no part of the Forbidden Forest," Snape said.  
  
Harry held out his hand and said, "Pass me you're wand, Professor."  
  
Snape hesitated, but he couldn't use his wand anyway, so he gave it to Harry from his left  
hand.  
  
Harry whispered "Point me" to it and the wand began to spin in his palm and stopped,  
pointing left. "Well, that's the way to the school, but we should probably check to see if  
there's anything closer than that."  
  
He did it again, thinking of a road, train tracks, a village, anything that might be closer  
than the school. After spinning a few seconds, it stopped, pointing straight away from him.  
  
"So, something closer than the school is in that direction," Snape observed, " And we  
have no idea what it is or how far it is."  
  
"Yep," Harry said, handing Snape back his wand, "But, the faster we get out of here the  
better. If we get to a town or something, we could work from there to get back to the  
catsle."  
  
As Harry said that, he couldn't help but wonder why the Potions Master didn't suggest  
apparating back to the castle and leave him there. And why wasn't Snape bugging him the  
way he usually did. Harry was almost ready to say that Snape was being nice... but not just  
yet.  
  
"Well, then, Potter, we'd better get moving," Snape said, turning in the direction his  
wand had pointed and walking away.  
  
"Yeah, sure," Harry said, walking off after his Professor, rubbing his head.  
************************************************************************  
  
"Anything yet, Albus?" Minerva McGonagall asked frantically, walking into the office of  
the Headmaster of Hogwarts.   
  
"I'm afraid not," Dumbledor replied, "No sign of the either of them. I've contacted the  
Ministry and told them what we know." He looked up at Professor McGonagall's face and  
saw the extreme worry on her face, "Now, now, Minerva, it's only been a couple of hours  
now, they'll be fine."  
  
"Oh, Albus, I'm more worried about the fact that the two are together. You know how  
Severus...gets around Harry."  
  
Dumbledor nodded slowly, chuckling lightly, "Yes, I know. But you must remember that  
he knows he is still Harry's Professor and he will act as such." Professpor McGonagall  
nodded, "Now if you could please ask the rest of our staff to search the grounds, except  
for Hagrid of course, tell him to take Fang into the Forest. Tell them to search until  
they're sure the two are not here."  
  
Just as McGonagall nodded and turned to leave, he said, "Oh, and if you could please call  
Ms.Granger and Mr. Weasly up to my office, Minerva, I believe they were with Harry  
when this mess began."  
  
  
************************************************************************  
CRUUUUNCH!  
"What was that?" Harry asked.  
  
They hadn't even been walking ten minutes when they both heard what sounded like large  
trees being uprooted. Either that or broken in half.  
  
"I don't know, Potter," Snape said, searching for the source of the sound.  
  
CRUUUUUUUNNNCH!  
  
"But whatever it is, it sounds like it's getting closer."  
  
Harry hated how his voice was calm and silky and sort of cold, despite what was  
happening. Had the Professor always been monotone or did his voice only change when he  
was angry?  
  
" Should we hide?" Harry asked frantically.  
  
"Yes, I think so," Snape said, he searched for a good hiding place but found none. Then  
they heard it again, five times louder than it had been before.  
  
Harry rushed over to Snape's side and whispered, " There it is, I see it's shadow." And it  
was no small shadow, judging from what they could see, it was roughly the size of the  
Troll Harry'd seen in first year.  
  
Harry accidentally tugged on Snape's right arm and mumbled "Sorry", after Snape hissed  
in pain.  
  
They ran to a large tree and got behind it just as the huge creature came into view. It was  
a Knoll.  
  
Knolls are huge creatures that resemble a humanoid wolves standing upright on their hind  
legs, usually carrying a weapon. This one had blue fur and a nasty snarl to it's snout.  
  
Harry saw the weapon it carried: a battle ax with a handle about as tall as Harry and a  
large blade that glinted brightly. The monster's black eyes searched the small clearing,  
squinting at the trees while it walked slowly passed.  
  
Snape nudged Harry along and they moved around the tree as the monster moved passed  
them to keep out of sight. After holding in his breath the whole time he'd seen it, Harry  
slowly exhaled as the Knoll crashed out of sight without stopping.  
  
They remained still and quiet until they heard the crashes fade away.  
  
"Do you know what that was, Potter?" Snape asked in a tone that suggested they were in  
class and he was giving a quiz.  
"Um.." Harry said breathlessly, "Yeah, it was Knoll. Professer Lupin mentioned them  
once last year."  
  
He watched Snape's long nose wrinkle slightly in slight disgust at the sound of Lupin's  
name, "Well then, you should know how urgent it is that we keep moving." and with that,  
he covered his slung arm with his robes again and began walking in the direction they were  
supposed to go.  
  
Harry knew what Knolls were supposed to be like; vicious killers that were always hungry  
and ate just about everything that moved. They weren't even sociable or friendly with their  
own kind. So Harry didn't hesitate to keep up with Snape.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Hermoine and Ron were waiting for Dumbledor in his office.  
  
"Hey! Fawkes!" Ron exclaimed at the beautiful Phoenix who sat across the room. Ron  
hadn't seen the bird since the end of second year.  
  
He strode over and pat the bird's back.  
  
"I wonder what he wants us for," he said to Hermione, who was standing and looking  
around the amazing office.  
  
"Probably to ask us about what happened to Harry and Professor Snape," she responded,  
"We saw what happened..." she spoke softly and slowly.  
  
"Yeah, but what happened anyway?" Ron said.  
  
Hermione shot him a look, "I mean what kind of spell could it have been?" he added  
hastily, "Some of the teachers even saw it and they're still baffled."  
  
"I've never seen a blue light quite like that in a spell before. It just appeared around them  
and they were gone," Hermione said. Then a worried expression came to her face, "Oh, I  
wonder where Harry is?"  
  
Ron walked over to her side, " I don't know, but he's probably okay. I mean, he's with  
Snape after all, the only person who could scare away a crowd of goblins with a single,  
evil glare."  
  
Hermione smiled thinking of how Ron was always the one who accused Snape of trying  
to kill Harry.  
  
"Besides," Ron said with a smile, "Whatever happened probably got Harry out of an  
earful. When Snape was talking to him, he sure looked miffed about something."  
They heard the door opening and turned to see Dumbledor enter the room.  
  
  
************************************************************************  
  
((A few hours later))  
  
  
Snape was thoroughly impressed with Harry. After a day of walking at a fairly fast pace,  
he himself was quite tired. Harry had borrowed his wand to search for food after making a  
fire for Snape to keep warm.  
  
"Should we have a fire?" Harry had asked, "Won't it attract the Knoll back?"  
  
Snape guaranteed that Knolls had horrible eyesight and hearing, despite their wolf ears, so  
they always hunted during the day, they would just have to keep the fire small to keep the  
smell of smoke to a minimum.  
  
As he sat there on an old log with his good hand to the fire [ it had gotten quite cold after  
sunset] Snape thought about being stuck out in the woods with a person he hated. Well,  
ONE of the people he hated anyway.  
  
Maybe it was the environment, the fact that they weren't surrounded by people. Being  
only himself and Potter didn't make it necessary for him to worry about his reputation  
he'd built for himself over the years. He loved being feared by the students and some of  
the teachers, because with that feeling came respect. He'd been acting that way for so long  
now that he didn't know any other way to earn people's respect.  
  
He figured how he acted didn't matter much anyway. What really mattered was getting  
out of the strange forest and himself and Harry healed. He'd been noticing the cut on the  
boy's head was looking worse before they conjured the fire.  
  
His heart gave a great jump when he heard rustling behind him. He turned to see Harry  
carrying two small and dead animals and his wand.  
  
"There, that didn't take long," Harry said, each word came out with fogged air.   
  
After Harry gave Snape his wand back he cooked the meat he'd just captured.  
  
Snape, who couldn't really help with the dirty work half-expected Harry to be reluctant to  
skin and cook the animals. When Harry saw the look on his Professor's face he said,  
"Armadillo bile," Harry explained, "Once you get over dealing with that stuff I think it's  
impossible to be squeamish about anything."  
  
Snape gave a short chuckle, " I'm actually surprised none of the students vomited over  
that lesson. Not even Longbottom."  
Harry was about to say something to defend Neville, but decided against it, " I think your  
lessons must tend to desensitize."  
  
"That's true," Snape nodded, the light from the fire actually softened the features of his  
face, " But just wait until you're sixth year, there are some things that even make me..  
'grossed out' as you might say."  
  
Harry laughed but he couldn't believe this! He was having a good time with Snape,  
Professor Snape, Severus Snape, whatever!  
  
'Well' Harry supposed, 'At least it's a good time and he's not on my back all the time.'  
  
"So, how is your arm doing?" he asked.  
  
"It's fine, Potter," Snape responded shortly, apparently uncomfortable with talking about  
his own injuries to a student.  
  
'Well, some things will never change I guess,' Harry thought.  
  
After they ate they settled down to sleep. Snape charmed to fire to last all night and keep  
them warm.  
  
((Morning))  
  
  
  
The morning sun shone brightly just over the trees, golden strands of light filtered  
through the trees.  
  
Crumpled leaves fell all around.  
  
Harry and Snape were just waking up and getting ready to move out for another day of  
walking.  
  
Harry put out the fire then stretched and yawned, the whole time, Snape was watching  
him closely. "What?" Harry asked when he noticed Snape's staring.  
  
" That's not a cut," Snape said pointing at Harry's temple, where the cut on his head had  
turned into an ugly colored lump, "You hit your head, didn't you?"  
  
"Well... I don't know," Harry fidgeted, Snape staring at him made him uncomfortable, as  
it always did, "Whatever happened knocked me out, remember? I probably hit it falling  
through those tree branches. What does it matter anyway, we should get going."  
  
Snape didn't move and didn't speak. He knew that anyone with a head injury weren't  
supposed to sleep, but before Harry's cut hadn't seemed do bad.  
  
Suddenly he heard Harry gasp, saw him run towards him, knock him to the ground, and  
gasped in pain from his arm. Then he saw a flash of a huge blade, a flash of blue, and then  
a loud roaring growl.  
  
The Knoll had snuck up on them.  
  
As the monster turned and swung his ax again, Harry pushed Snape aside and rolled out  
of the way. SHING! The Knoll's ax struck the forest floor and sank in deep. The  
monster struggled to pull it out.  
  
Harry took the opportunity to get to Snape, who was pulling himself up near a tree.  
  
"Come on! Let's go!" Harry yelled, before Snape pushed him aside, in time to avoid the  
Knoll's claws from swiping at Harry. The Knoll's ax was still stuck in the ground, after it  
missed Harry, it went back to trying to pull it out.  
  
Harry got back up and went to Snape, "Give me your wand!"  
  
Snape looked at him, "Potter, you can't poss-"  
  
"I have an idea," Harry yelled, cutting him off, " Give it to me NOW!" Snape gave it to  
Harry, not quite knowing what to say, "Okay good, get behind the tree!"  
  
Harry turned back to the monster, who was looking at him, snarling, but seemed intent on  
getting it's ax un-stuck. That was fin with Harry, that's what he needed for the levitation  
spell.  
  
Finally, with a powerful jerk, the ax was free. Harry got ready to cast the spell, but the  
Knoll took a fast swing at him, missing him, and he fell over a tree root. Harry's breath  
caught in his throat as the Knoll used the momentum from his miss and swung his ax down  
again at Harry's mid section, and missed him only by centimeters, slicing through his  
robes.  
  
The monster's weapon only missed because Snape had managed to trip it by pushing a  
large branch in it's way. A loud, frustrated howl, loud enough to make the ground rumble  
emitted from the monster.  
  
It turned on Snape, forgetting it's weapon on the ground by Harry's side.  
  
Harry sat up and saw the Knoll going after Snape, there was no way Snape could defend  
himself against it! Harry stood and waved his arms, yelling, thinking of things Ron would  
say to get someone's attention, "Hey! Ugly!" The Knoll stopped and turned towards him.  
  
Harry saw Snape get safely behind a tree, "Yeah, you! Get you're little fluffy tail over  
here!" The Knoll snarled, bared it's teeth and stalked slowly towards him, it's fur raised  
high upon it's back, making it look even bigger than before.  
  
'That's close enough' Harry thought. He pointed his wand at the ax exclaiming  
"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" and the weapon lifted swiftly from the ground. 'A little  
higher..litlle higher..'  
  
He looked down from the floating ax, just in time to see a large, blue paw fly past his  
body, then he felt pain and he stumbled backward.   
  
The spell being broken, the ax fell from the air, directly upon it's wielder...and through  
it's skull.  
  
The Knoll made no noise, except for the rumbling crash that followed as it fell to the  
ground.   
  
Snape rushed over to Harry "Is it dead?" the boy asked. Snape nodded.  
  
"Not exactly what I had in mind," Harry said, "I just tried to knock it ou-ow!" Harry  
clutched at his side and doubled over to his knees.  
  
"What is it?"   
  
Harry pulled open his torn robes and saw that his shirt was full of fresh blood and more  
was coming out from the wound in his side.  
  
"You've already lost a lot of blood," Snape observed.  
  
"It's nothing," Harry said lightly, ripping one of the sleeves on his robes. When he was  
done that, he wrapped the black bandage firmly around his torso, " Actually now that I'[m  
doing this, do you think your sling needs a change?"  
  
After Snape said no he paused for a few minutes and then got up, "Okay, we should get  
going,"he talked quickly to keep Snape from protesting, "With the Knoll um... out of our  
way, we shouldn't have much trouble anymore, right?"  
  
He turned and walked off.  
  
"Right," Snape said, going after him. He turned quickly and looked at the Knoll, amazed  
that a student had done such a thing. Then again, he had heard of the boy doing greater  
things than accidentally kill a Knoll.  
  
((Later that day))  
  
  
  
"Professor, wait..."  
  
Snape, alarmed at the urgency in the young boy's voice turned quickly and saw Harry  
leaning up against a tree, hands on his knees.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked. The temperature couldn't have been anything above ten  
degrees Celsius, but Harry was sweating as if he'd been running for miles in the dead of  
the summer.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, he swallowed, " I ... just need to rest a minute."  
  
Snape could see that the bandage under his robes were wet with blood. And when he  
looked Harry's head, he couldn't help but notice the bump on his temple a gained a few  
different colors and looked painful.  
  
"Okay," Harry said suddenly, standing upright, "Time to go."  
  
"Stop, Potter," Snape said, Harry turned to face him, "You need to rest."  
  
"Look, the faster we get out of here, the better, right? Resting when we don't need to will  
only waste time." And with that Harry yet again began to walk in the other direction.  
  
Snape would have protested, but gave up before he tried. He knew it wouldn't work, the  
boy was to damned stubborn. And Snape without the ability to use his wand, there was  
nothing he could do to stop Harry.  
  
  
  
***Whoo! Okay, I just spent hours writinf that tiny part, so you'd better like it!! I started  
at 2 in the afternoon it is now 12:37 PM.. So good night, please read ...[Yawnnnnn]... and  
review. You know how it goes. I realize that Harry and Snape aren't acting like they're  
usual selves, and I didn't mean to do that, but remember it's my first Harry Potter fanfic,  
okay?****  
Night! 


	2. Stumbling Out

Harry Potter fanfic: Dropping in  
  
Okay, I'm getting lots of reviews that say Snape and Harry are out of character, well  
mostly Snape. Don't worry, I know this is true, so I don't mind the comments. After I  
finish this fic, I hope to start another one really soon, either Harry Potter or Batman  
Beyond, I haven't decided yet.  
  
Anyway, this is the last part of the fic so I hope you like it!!!  
  
  
************************************************************************  
Dropping In   
((Part Two))  
  
((Later that day))  
  
That night Snape let Harry sit by the fire and warm up while he looked for food. Harry  
protested that Snape wouldn't be able to use his wand with his arm in a sling, but the older  
man simply put up a hand to stop him, said he could manage and left out of sight.  
  
Harry couldn't help but shiver when a sudden, cold autumn breeze came by and blew his  
hair around. He drew his robes closer to his body, suddenly thankful that they were  
mandatory dress at Hogwarts, with only his muggle clothes, he would have froze.  
  
The thought of Hogwarts only made him wish more intensely that he was already there.  
He thought of Hermione and Ron and wondered if they were worried about him. No, he  
knew they were, in fact he figured that they were getting less sleep searching and fussing  
over him. That thought made him feel a bit better.  
  
Not too much better, but better. He missed them and that reminded him of being with the  
Dursleys during the summer, another thought he didn't need at the moment. Also, the cuts  
on his side and temple weren't fairing too well. He could hardly even touch either of them  
without flinching and hissing in pain. He could tell that the bandages under his shirt needed  
changing, but the pain made him reluctant to do it.  
  
It didn't take long for Snape to come back. Harry, being surprised Snape had been able to  
use his wand was thoroughly happy to see the Potions Master.  
  
...Of course he would never tell him that.  
  
They ate silently and sat quietly by the fire. They had no trouble getting to sleep that  
night, with no monsters to worry about.  
  
  
((Morning))  
  
Snape, who'd been sleeping soundly despite the fact that his head had been unknowingly  
resting on a rock, woke up suddenly.  
  
After taking a moment to remember where he was, he looked up to see that Harry was  
awake too. The boy was sitting up against a tree, holding a hand to his side. Blood was  
seeping through his fingers, Snape didn't know how long it had been bleeding, but judging  
by Harry's blank expression, it had been a while.  
  
"Potter?" Snape said cautiously, moving slowly over to Harry. He bent down next to him  
and inspected the boy.  
  
"How do you feel?" asked Snape. When Harry looked up at him, his eyes seemed to  
focus more and he put on a fake, confident smile.  
  
"I'm just tired, Professor," Harry said. Then he saw the uncertainty in Snape's black eyes  
and added, " I'll just have to take it easy today."  
  
"Yes you will," Snape confirmed, "... Are you sure you can keep going?"  
  
Harry winced as he got up to stand, "Yes, sir." And with that he was moving away, at the  
same time thinking 'I'm just glad I have nothing to carry' and with an inward sigh  
carefully stepped over a fallen tree log.  
  
Snape sighed and began walking, only to turn quickly around and put out the fire he'd  
forgotten about.  
  
  
(( A few hours later))  
  
  
They were going slow, way too slow. Harry was taking careful steps, gingerly hold his  
side. Snape was walking even slower, making sure to stay close behind Harry.  
  
Snape was just about to say that they should rest, when Harry suddenly tripped on a tree  
root and fell forwards. Snape tried to stop his fall, but hadn't been ready in time.  
  
Harry stuck out his arms to stop himself, but didn't have the strength, and he hit the dirt  
chest first. He yelped and clutched at his side, staying on the ground.   
  
Snape rushed forward and knelt down beside him, "Perhaps it's time to take a rest,  
Potter."  
  
"No," Harry said, " Just help me up and we can keep going."  
  
.....That was it! If Harry was going to be some stubborn git, Snape wasn't going to take  
it. After all, Harry was his student and he was the teacher! And he wasn't about to let a  
student tell him he was wrong in any way, shape, or form!!!!!  
  
"All right, Potter!" Snape yelled fiercely. He got up and walked a few paces away from  
Harry, "If you truly believe you can keep going, you truly do not need my help. Get  
yourself up and then I will consider letting you keep going."  
  
Harry looked up at him with those deep emerald eyes for almost a full minute.  
  
"I'm waiting, Mr Potter," Snape said, crossing his arms, which was basically weaving his  
left arm through the sling on his right.   
  
'Oh great', Harry thought, 'Now he's acting like the jerk he's always been.' He slowly  
and shakingly pushed himself up to one knee, inhaled from the sting, then proceeded to  
stand straight. He looked up at Snape, who was still watching him closely.  
  
Suddenly his head was swimming and he felt extremely dizzy.  
  
Snape saw Harry stagger and rushed over to his side and caught him in his arms before he  
fell once again to the ground.  
  
"Okay then, Potter," Snape said, his voice stumbling with Harry's weight. He dragged  
Harry over to a tree, "Stay still or I'll Stupefy you for three years."  
  
Harry didn't argue this time, his head was too sore and he was having trouble getting his  
eyes to focus. He sat on the ground, leaning his back to the tree. He did, however, feel  
slightly uncomfortable when Snape opened his robes and lifted his shirt to his shoulders to  
get a good look at his side.  
  
The bandages were soaked all the way through with blood. They also looked dirty and  
Snape could see some of the blood had dried on the underside and was crusted onto the  
bandage.  
  
"Potter, these should have been changed a long time ago," Snape said, wondering why  
Harry hadn't told him. He cursed under his breath, half at Harry for being such a proud  
person, and half at himself for the same thing.  
  
Harry didn't respond to what he'd said, "Just sit still, this is probably going to hurt."  
  
The boy nodded slightly. He was ready to grit his teeth against the pain, but it was worse  
than he'd expected it to be. Where the old blood had dried, the bandage had to be ripped  
from his skin, it immediately started to bleed again. Harry gasped, tears welling up in his  
eyes. He squeezed them shut.  
  
Snape worked quickly taking the black material off while Harry whimpered as quietly as  
possible.  
  
As soon as it was off Snape looked closely at the cut, it was pretty clean because it had  
happened quickly, but it was deep. Harry, who's shirt was still up around his shoulders  
shivered slightly in the cold.  
  
Snape removed his robes and placed them lightly over Harry. He then worked quickly to  
tear at the shirt he was wearing and made long strands. He then tied the strands together  
end to end.  
  
He applied the makeshift bandage to Harry's side. " Oww...." Harry moaned quietly.  
  
Snape smirked and couldn't keep himself from saying, "Stop whining, Potter. It's your  
fault that these didn't get changed."  
  
He really expected the boy to argue with him, but when he heard, "I know...." he knew  
something was wrong. He looked up into Harry's face and saw his eyes were closed.  
  
'Damn!' Snape cursed himself. He hastily finished wrapping the bandage around Harry's  
waist, pulled shirt down, his robes closed, and began to shake Harry's shoulders, "Potter!  
Open your eyes."  
  
Harry's eyes blinked open and he looked up at his Professor.  
  
"You have to stay awake," Snape said. What should he do? He had to keep Harry awake  
somehow. Then he thought of something, " So how's that cousin of yours, Potter?"  
  
Harry looked him slightly shocked at the question Then he moved his eyes away in  
thought, " Dudley? He's fine, I guess."  
  
Snape shifted his weight and sat down beside Harry, "I hear he's quite the pig, is that  
right?"  
  
Harry chuckled lightly, then coughed, "Oh yeah. If we had a Pig's house he would fit  
right in at the catsle."  
  
Snape remained silent for a while, thinking of something else to say. It was harder than he  
thought to make idle conversation. Then he heard Harry say, " How long have you been a  
Professor at Hogwarts?"  
  
"Oh", Snape had to think about that one for a while, "Quite a few years now. I only  
started a few years after I left as a student."  
  
Harry looked up at him again, thinking about how much Snape seemed like Dumbledor  
when he was trying to be intimidating or scary... ...Harry felt tired again..  
  
Snape saw Harry's head droop slightly out of the corner again, "No, Potter, stay awake"  
he moved over in front of Harry and placed his hands on his shoulders again, " You can't  
fall asleep right now."  
  
Harry lifted his head slightly, but it fell again and he felt his body being shaken, " Dammit,  
Potter, why is it you don't seem to be capable of listening to your superiors?"  
  
Then again, that was easy for Snape to say.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked weakly, his eyes remained shut, " Why don't you  
just leave?"  
  
Snape hesitated to answer, slightly taken aback, "Well, Potter, despite the fact that I think  
you are honestly a little, pompous, big-headed brat," Snape let the words sink in, "I am  
still your Professor, and as we are stuck here together and quite alone, that makes you my  
responsibility. Besides, Potter, you don't want me to leave, do you?"  
  
Harry paused and thought a second, responding slowly, "...No..." then he put a hand to  
his side.  
  
The cut hadn't stopped bleeding, if anything, it was gushing more blood than ever before.  
Snape slightly panicked because he couldn't decide what to do. He could carry the boy,  
but that would be too difficult with his arm in a sling. He could-  
  
"Professor..?" Harry said still slowly, "Why don't you apparate?"  
  
Snape looked at him as if to say the obvious; you can't apparate on school grounds. "I  
mean, to somewhere close to the school .... maybe Hogsmeade? You could get to the  
castle from there.."  
  
Snape thought about it and decided that Harry was right.....for once. Then he lifted  
Harry's chin so that he was looking straight into his eyes, "You realize how much time  
that will take, right?" Harry nodded, "Okay then."  
  
Snape got up and ready to leave after he lay Harry on the ground, putting his robes down  
as a pillow. He then conjured a fire and spoke to Harry one last time, "Whatever you do,  
Potter, do not fall asleep. Got it?"  
  
Harry nodded, squeaked, "Have fun."  
  
With a loud 'pop!', Snape was gone, Harry was alone. With nothing to distract him, he  
already felt sleep..y....  
  
************************************************************************  
  
(( Hogwarts))  
  
Ron and Hermione were walking lazily around the lake. They watched as the Giant Squid  
swam around under the dart surface.  
  
It was nearly time to get to the evening feast. The past couple days had been hard on  
them. Despite a teacher and a student being missing, classes had continued as usual,  
except that Potions was canceled because none of the staff wanted the job and they  
couldn't find someone as skillful as Snape on such short notice.  
  
It wasn't easy for either of them to get through class. No one talked to them because  
nobody knew what to say. In fact all of Gryffindor seemed to be saddened by Harry's  
absence. After finishing homework each night, Ron and Hermione spent most of their time  
siting quietly in the common room. Fred and George tried, in vain, to cheer everyone up,  
Ginny sat beside Hermione and remained quiet. Every now and then they could see Cho  
Chang searching their party scanning for Harry.  
  
Some people played quiet board games, but the Gryffindor common room was less than  
lively. It almost reminded Ron of Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party.  
  
The Slytherins didn't seem to be very happy either, especially Malfoy. Having Harry  
Potter missing was the perfect base for poking fun, but whenever he mentioned it, there  
was always someone around to shoot back something about Snape.  
  
"Come on, we'd better go inside," Ron said. Hermione nodded sadly and they turned  
around.   
  
Ron's entire family had gotten into the search for Harry. Percy and Mr Weasley forced  
the Ministry into a frenzy searching everywhere. Even Bill and Charlie found out and were  
constantly sending owls of where they'd searched and where they were going to search  
next. Mrs Weasley kept sending letters of encouragement [and sweets] to the school.  
  
Hagrid had been extremely upset the passed couple of days. It hadn't exactly cheered Ron  
or Hermione to see Hagird weeping into Fang's fur, but they couldn't stand to see him so  
sad without trying to help him.  
  
They took they're time, not wanting to be back in the Great Hall where everyone,  
especially the teachers had the chance to stare at them in pity.   
  
Hermione was about to open her mouth when they heard a sound behind them. They both  
stopped and turned around. Snape was jogging quickly towards them, his robes were gone  
and his arm was in a sling.  
  
"Professor!" Hermione yelled, completely shocked. She and Ron began to run to him,  
ready to ask a million questions.  
  
Snape, put his hand out, "No, go get Professor Dumbledor and bring him out here  
immediately!"  
  
The two looked at each other then back to him questioningly. What was going on?  
  
Then Snape lost his temper, remembered where he was and put a nice furrow to his  
eyebrows, " Did you hear me?! Go get the Headmaster NOW!"  
  
When they turned and ran for the Great Hall, he added, " And tell him not to waste time  
asking questions!"  
  
************************************************************************  
  
  
Harry's eyes began to close again.  
  
'No!' Harry thought. He tried to think of things that he had to look forward to when  
Snape got him back to the Castle.   
  
Quidditch! They hadn't even started practicing for the new year yet. He didn't even know  
who were going to take the place of Wood as goalie and coach. Maybe one of the  
Weasley twins or...or..  
  
"Okay, this is getting stupid," Harry said aloud to no one, which made him realize just  
how alone he was. He tried not to think about how scared has was at that moment. He  
wasn't sure what would happen to him if he fell asleep, but Snape was so urgent about it,  
and they'd been trusting each other for a few days now and he couldn't help but believe  
what he had said.  
  
Would he die? That, Harry imagined, would be a horrible way to die. All alone and cold -  
cold, yes he was extremely cold.  
  
He coughed and pulled his robes closer together. He tried to shuffle closer to the fire, but  
even that simple task was too much for him. He coughed again and felt his temple, there a  
definite bump now, and laying right across the middle was the unhealed cut.  
  
"Hmph," Harry chuckled lightly, "Maybe it will be another scar."  
  
Staring up at the sky, he could see it had gotten much darker and could see some stars  
beginning to twinkle. It was only then that he noticed his breath was fogged each time it  
exited his mouth.  
  
'This can't be good..' Harry thought. He felt so tired.......He finally gave in and closed his  
eyes.  
  
....  
  
....  
  
....  
  
..  
  
*Pop!*  
  
************************************************************************  
  
He felt warm. Maybe he was dead already, if he was, he certainly didn't mind. Either way,  
he was enjoying his rest. The black all around was so relaxing.   
  
Then there was a faint sound, a voice, " Good morning, you two" it sounded oddly like  
Madame Promfrey. But after that, it was quiet.  
  
He opened his eyes slowly and closed them immediately from the sting of the morning  
sunlight. When he got them open, he saw a familiar room. Of course it was blurry, his  
glasses had been removed, but he'd waken up in it so many times that he didn't need clear  
vision to tell he was in the Hospital Wing.  
  
He looked to his left and saw two darker figures sitting motionless and quiet beside his  
bed. He also didn't need his glasses to tell who it was.  
  
" 'Morning," said Harry, trying to make the tone happy, but his throat was a bit dry.  
  
The blurry figures of Hermione and Ron jumped nearly a foot in the air and turned to  
look at him.   
  
"Harry!" Hermione squeaked happily. She dove forward and gave Harry one of the  
tightest hug's Harry's ever had - and the most painful at the same time.  
  
"Oom!..Hermione!" Harry said weakly.  
  
Ron yanked her off and gave Harry his glasses. However, Ron himself had to fight back  
the urge to give Harry a huge hug.  
  
"Sorry!" Hermione whispered, hardly able to hold in the joy she felt.  
  
Harry put his glasses to his face and looked at his friend's sweet, smiling faces and said  
the first thing that came to mind, "I missed you guys."  
  
"You had us in such a scare, Harry!" Hermione said.  
  
"Not just us, the entire school, the Ministry," Ron said, " Dumbledor had everyone  
around looking for you and Snape!"  
  
'Oh yeah,' Harry thought.  
  
"Where is Snape?" Harry asked, "Is he okay?"  
  
Then Madame Promfrey came in, "He's absolutely fine, Harry. Thanks to you in fact. He  
told me that you were quite quick to sling his arm up the way you did. And a good job  
too, it's going to heal rather quickly."  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at him, surprise written all over their faces, "You on the other  
hand," Promfrey said, then she looked at the other two, "You know what that means."  
She shuffled them nearly all the way out the door.  
  
Ron stoppred and looked back at Harry and said, "You'd better rest up if you thought  
Hermione's hug hurt; Hagrid and Dobby are comming to visit you soon."  
  
Harry laughed and sat back ikn his pillows as Madame Promfrey worked around him. He  
couldn't take the smile off of his face, thinking how happy he was to be back...and away  
from Snape.  
  
  
  
(( Done! Wow, was that a happy ending or what?! [tear]. That is the first time I've ever  
written a fanfic without going back to delete it all, so I hope you're all happy!!!!))  
  
Bye-bye, 'Till my next fic [which I'll be starting soon!]  
Thanx evrybody! 


End file.
